The Best Cordless Framing Nail Gun Review

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It was a difficult transition for me personally, that is, making the switch from the old school air compressor to the new cordless nailers. I think I was waiting for the battery technology to catch up, well, I believe it has.  The power capacity of these cordless power tools allows framers to discard, for the most part, the hammer and the overall effort it takes to complete the job.  No more wasted arms and worn out shoulders, and with the cordless, no more dragging cumbersome hoses around with you. These tools simply allow you to move about the work site in a much safer and more efficient manner. 

With a simple press of the nail gun’s tip against the wood surface and a pull of the trigger, you have successfully secured two pieces of wood together. That’s it. Shoulder replacement surgery will now be quickly on the decline!

It is the goal of this LetsFixItUp article to help you select the right cordless framing nailer for your particular need. Hopefully we can help you understand the differing aspects of the tool that you should consider prior to your purchase. The cordless framing nailers are becoming more and more available, and with a little bit more time, will replace the air-powered tools altogether.

Let’s get started, and with some luck, perhaps we have made it easier for you to find the right cordless framing nailer that fits your needs best. This article / review display’s the very best  cordless framing nailers available on the market today. And what might be the best of all, you can have it shipped right to your front door.

#1 The Milwaukee Battery Powered Framing Nailer 2745-20

M18 FUEL 30 Degree Framing Nailer

 

 

Plus:

  •  It has two power mode settings.                                                                                                         
  •  Solid Construction
  •  It is powered by a long-lasting lithium-ion battery.
  •  Equipped with a belt hook and a rafter hook.
  •  It has an LED light to brighten up your work area
  •  It drives nails at a faster pace so it saves time.
  •  The M18 Battery is inter-changeable with the other Milwaukee cordless tools

Minus:

  •   It is heavier than most other models 
  •   The battery and charger are sold separately.
  •   A bit pricier then most other brands

LetFixItUp Comments:

If you want the best big  brand name tool, then your going to have to be willing to pay for it. The MILWAUKEE  2745-20 Framing Nailer is our #1 Best Pick for a reason, it out performs the others and it can be relied upon. It is powered by a heavy duty lithium-ion battery. This battery packs a huge punch and it is long-lasting so you can discharge hundreds of fasteners with only one charge This tool and  battery can get the job done, no problem.

It will hammer a diversity of nails into hard lumber with no ramp-up time. Getting the job done faster, its two actuation modes allows for a safer job.. It has a convenient tool less depth adjustment and a dry fire lockout feature.

An additional safety feature of this tool is its on/off switch. It has a belt hook to free up your hands, to keep you safer while climbing around a job site.

No products found.

 

#2  BOSTITCH 20V MAX Cordless Framing Nailer (BCF30P1)

 
 

Plus:

  • Contains a long-lasting lithium-ion battery.
  • Two discharge capability;  bump firing and sequential firing modes.
  •  Low maintenance brushless motor.
  • It has a soft tip to prevent marking of the surface of the lumber.

Minus

  • Some jamming and it is not compatible with other 30° nails brands. 

 

LetsFixItUp Comments:

For me Bostitch has always been synonymous with nail guns of all types. That is in part the reason this cordless nailer comes in on our list at #2.  Whether this is your first ever purchase of a nailer or your just looking to replace your existing one, buying a cordless framing nailer is the most reasonable choice for what ever type of work you might be doing, whether just for home improvement projects or as a professional. The BOSTITCH BCF30P1 Framing Nailer is simply one of the very best.

This BOSTITCH BCF30P1 Framing Nailer has a powerful motor that will drive nails home in the toughest lumber. The angle of the nailer makes toe-nailing a cinch.

 As mentioned above, the tool tends to jam occasionally when using a different brand fastener , but you can easily clear it with the stall release lever. 

Just like the Milwaukee this gun is quite heavy, but it is built to last and will not break due to a fall.

No products found.

 

 

#3 The DEWALT 20V MAX Framing Nailer Kit, 30-Degree, Paper Collated (DCN692M1)

 

Plus:

  • It contains a long-lasting 20V battery that with a single charge can handle hundreds of nails. 
  • This nailer can drive a diversity of fasteners due to its dual-speed motor.
  • Can switch between the efficient bump firing and the safer sequential firing. 
  •  Has a reload indicator due to dry fire lockout feature.
  • Large magazine that saves time as it can hold up to 55 nails for fewer reloads.

Minus:

  • It is not compatible with some of the fasteners sold by other manufacturers.

LetsFixItUp Comments:

Relative to the two cordless nailers featured above. the best thing we like about this nailer is the price, besides that, you really can never go wrong with a DEWALT product. Any  project needs a reliable, powerful framing nailer, the DEWALT DCN692M1 20V MAX Framing Nailer is up to the task. This cordless framing nailer by DeWalt’s has a long lasting 20V battery that will discharge hundreds of fasteners with only one charge. The tool comes with a dual-speed motor that performs while using a wide variety of fasteners for different applications you may encounter

Ease of use is one of the best features of the DeWalt DCN692M1 nailer.  It allows you to adjust the depth using the tool free depth adjustment knob located near the nailer’s head. It comes with a dry-fire lockout mechanism feature and a tool free stall release. The tool also has an adjustable rafter hook, so you can hang the tool nearby leaving your hands free.

The  tool is equipped to easily switch from a convenient bump firing mode to the safer sequential firing mode with an easily accessible switch.

Easily accesses tight spaces due to its 33° magazine. The high capacity magazine can also hold as many as 55 2 to 3 1/2″ nails. The DeWalt framing nailer comes with a 20V lithium-ion battery, a charger, and a kit bag to keep it dust-free.

LetsFixItUp believes the DeWalt DCN692M1  is the best buy for the home owner and the DIYer that does the occasional projects around the house and yard. It will serve you well!

 

No products found.

 
 
 

#4 Paslode, Cordless XP Framing Nailer, 905600, Battery and Fuel Cell Powered

 
 

Plus:

  • Equipped with a durable plastic hard case.
  • Powered by a fuel cell and a battery.
  • The safety tip can get into corners and tight spaces easily.
  • It has a quick and convenient  depth adjustment.
  • Discharges thousands of nails in a single charge and one fuel cell.
  • It  discharges nails smoothly.

Minus:

  • Just like many of its competitors it is heavy and bulky.

 

LetsFixItUp Comments:

The main thing that sets this cordless framing nailers apart, (Paslode 905600 Cordless XP Framing Nailer) is that it is not only powered by a battery, but additionally has a long lasting fuel cell. Therefore, this nailer has quite a bit more power than its competition, driving nails into tougher hardwoods is easier than the others 

The narrow nose combined with a 30° magazine allows the user to access  the tight spaces and corners for toenailing. Conversely, the body is big and the weight is noticeable especially after some hours of usage. This is really something to consider carefully, is the weight worth the power and longevity you gain?

The magazine at full capacity carries 48 nails. This makes the total number of nails a bit smaller than most of its counter-parts.  The package includes a battery charger, safety glasses, and a hex wrench. With an adjustable rafter hook that allows you to carry the tool safely while climbing a ladder or work on something else while keeping the tool nearby.

No products found.

 

#5 Ryobi ZRP854 18V Cordless 18Ga. 2 in. Brad Nailer Kit

 

 

Ryobi P325 One+ 18V Lithium Ion Battery Powered Cordless 16 Gauge Finish Nailer (Battery Not Included, Power Tool Only)

 

Plus:

  •  An air pressure switch on the back of the unit allows you to increase the depth of your nail driving
  •  A headlight permits you to see the job while you’re working in dim conditions. 
  • Low on nails indicator helps prevent against dry firing before you damage your woods
  • Knobs will adjust your depth, and you can flip out the front end to clear nail jams, no extra tools required
  • Just like Milwaukee,  This tool has batteries that are interchangeable with other Ryobi tools. 

 

Minus:

  • The battery is not included and must be purchased separately
  • As a rule of thumb, Ryobi tools, although less expensive, just are not built to last.
  • Quality issues, longevity issues.
  • There are several refurbished Ryobi tools on the market which indicates past failures.

No products found.

 

Conclusion

LetsFixItUp #1 choice is the The Milwaukee Battery Powered Framing Nailer 2745-20. This tool is powered by Milwaukee’s long-lasting 20V lithium-ion battery. You don’t have to buy a separate fuel cell to drive nails as its battery does all the heavy lifting for you. The one issue we have, is that you have to buy the tool and the battery separately. The good news is that all Milwaukee tools are of the highest quality and the batteries are all interchangeable. The Milwaukee cordless framing nailer drives nails easily,  without the frequent misfires and jams you will experience when using many other nailers. The inevitable jam happens on occasion, but the tool free stall release clears the jam and resets the driver with ease.  This is the Cordless Framing nailer we recommend for the pro. It will serve you well and for a very long time.

The DeWalt Framing Nailer is the ideal choice for the DIYer.  This kit includes the DeWalt 20V MAX battery and compatible charger, so you do not have to buy them separately like many of the other brands. Adjustment on the pressure for the depth is easy with its tool less depth adjustment knob, allowing you to drive nails flush against the woods surface for a clean finish. Additionally, switching from  bump firing to safer sequential firing is easy by simply pushing a button.

The Ryobi ZRP854 18V Cordless 18Ga. 2 in. Brad Nailer Kit. Out of the 5 Framing nailers reviewed here, Ryobi brings up the rear. It was mainly included just for comparison purposes. LetsFixItUp does not endorse or recommend this tool, and to date has not ever recommended any product that Ryobi manufactures.

 

JUST TO WRAP THINGS UP, a cordless framing nailer also known as a nail gun or aka,  a nailer, is a powerful wood framing tool utilized to connect  two pieces of wood together. It has multiple uses to include, framing, deck building, sheathing, fencing and more. Your framing hammer and nails are still a must on any jobsite, however, a cordless framing nailer will without a doubt make any framing job easier and more efficient.

In the beginning, framing nailers were all powered by air compressors with cumbersome air hose, not to mention the electrical cords required to run them. In our world today, lugging around an air compressor and all its associated hoses is just to cumbersome, that is why a cordless framing nailer is the right tool for you. Simply put…Ease of use!

Most Cordless framing nailers are powered by a lithium-ion batteries. Some cordless nailer tools are powered by a combination of a battery and a fuel cell. The fuel cell used to power such tools contains either butane or propane. Although more powerful, this combination is not a recommended avenue by LetsFixItUp.

There are many benefits to using a cordless framing nailer. The absence of a hose and a cord means that your movement around the jobsite is not limited. You can climb a ladder to frame a roof and not have to worry about tangling or tripping over the air compressor’s hose. 

In days gone by, an air compressor  was an essential component on every jobsite. But now, with the huge improvements in battery efficiency and power storage capacity, cordless framing nailers are the way to go, as you can now leave your cumbersome air compressor at home.